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Am I the only one who doesn't want to be called a "Skeptic"?
January 10, 2016 at 4:43 am
(This post was last modified: January 10, 2016 at 4:44 am by Heat.)
I mean, it's not like I don't fit the bill, I totally am a skeptic. However, sometimes I feel like "Skeptic" can take on the connotation of rebelliousness. As in, some times the word comes across to me, as like that four year old who has to question everything, meaning like that person who plays the "Why?" game, and says "Why?" to every answer you give after the original question is proposed.
Louis CK is where I get the example from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJlV49RDlLE
However, getting back on topic, something about the word appears to give this negative connotation, and I don't know why. It's the same thing with "Atheist", although I fit the description, I would rather not be labeled as it because of the connotation and attributes that come with it. I mean in reality, these connotations aren't what the word means, but it doesn't really matter, as people make inferences either way.
What are your thoughts?
Which is better:
To die with ignorance, or to live with intelligence?
Truth doesn't accommodate to personal opinions.
The choice is yours.
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The more questions you ask, the more you realize that disagreement is inevitable, and communication of this disagreement, irrelevant.
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RE: Am I the only one who doesn't want to be called a "Skeptic"?
January 10, 2016 at 4:54 am
Fuck 'em.
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RE: Am I the only one who doesn't want to be called a "Skeptic"?
January 10, 2016 at 5:04 am
(This post was last modified: January 10, 2016 at 5:24 am by ApeNotKillApe.)
I suppose the perceived negative connotation might arise from what I've perceived as a common association between skepticism and cynicism. Personally I don't put much importance on personal labels beyond they're value as a device for classification. I am both an atheist and a skeptic, I meet the conditions for these classifications, but these terms say nothing about myself beyond what the terms mean. And an atheist is not necessarily a skeptic.
I am John Cena's hip-hop album.
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RE: Am I the only one who doesn't want to be called a "Skeptic"?
January 10, 2016 at 9:36 am
(This post was last modified: January 10, 2016 at 9:36 am by The Grand Nudger.)
(January 10, 2016 at 4:43 am)Heat Wrote: However, getting back on topic, something about the word appears to give this negative connotation, and I don't know why.
What are your thoughts?
"Something"...like....living within a society of religious busybodies and their ridiculous cultural assumptions? That'd be my guess, as to where the negative connotation comes from.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Am I the only one who doesn't want to be called a "Skeptic"?
January 10, 2016 at 9:40 am
No, you're not on your own.
I prefer "sceptic" myself.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
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RE: Am I the only one who doesn't want to be called a "Skeptic"?
January 10, 2016 at 10:13 am
Educate people on what the words mean. Better that than appear dishonest about who you are or ashamed of it.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
Albert Einstein
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RE: Am I the only one who doesn't want to be called a "Skeptic"?
January 10, 2016 at 10:21 am
I don't let other people determine my choice of words. "debunker" is one that the tinfoil hat crowd has long hated, but I use it when it's the appropriate word. They can live with it or not, there is no try.
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RE: Am I the only one who doesn't want to be called a "Skeptic"?
January 10, 2016 at 10:25 am
I love being a skeptic 
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RE: Am I the only one who doesn't want to be called a "Skeptic"?
January 10, 2016 at 10:26 am
(This post was last modified: January 10, 2016 at 10:31 am by The Grand Nudger.)
Yeah, I gotta say...if folks assign negative connotations to the words I use in criticism of their absurd superstitions, or indeed to criticism of their absurd superstitions.......mission accomplished. The additional weight of maintaining their negative associations can only increase the internal and external burden on their positions.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Am I the only one who doesn't want to be called a "Skeptic"?
January 10, 2016 at 10:28 am
(This post was last modified: January 10, 2016 at 10:29 am by robvalue.)
I'm proud to call myself a sceptic and an atheist 
I agree "sceptic" and "cynic" sometimes get used interchangeably. I would rather educate people on the correct meanings of the words, at least in a formal context. If you're dealing with dishonest people who are going to play stupid games no matter what you say, you may as well not talk to them at all.
But really, no one should have to identify as anything if they don't want to. I just like to do so to make it easier for the next person to announce it, and to (hopefully) add credibility to the labels.
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